In many vehicles, when the vehicle is not being used, or is idling or in “wait” mode, operators tend to turn off the vehicle in order to conserve fuel, prevent pollution, reduce vehicle engine or auxiliary system wear, or some combination of the above. This is particularly common in commercial vehicles, where usage situations often result in vehicles idling while waiting for action on the part of other commercial vehicles, operators, or other external factors. Such conservation measures are becoming more prevalent with the rising costs of fuel, and the increasing use of sophisticated systems that require maintenance after a specific number of operating hours.
However, with internal combustion engines, including diesel engines, turning off the machine while it is not actually in use, and then restarting the machine, typically from a cold or cool state, although it may save fuel, can increase certain types of engine and system wear, as opposed to if the engine is left to idle, or restarted from a “warm” state.